Tarbat Ness

The overall career record — 5 wins and 19 places from 42 races — tells the story of a horse that earns its keep without ever threatening the top of the sport. Most of its racing has come at Class 6 level, the entry level of British racing, where it has won 4 of 25 races. That's roughly 1 in every 6, which is a solid return at that level and suggests the team around it have done a good job placing the horse in races it can be competitive in.

What makes Tarbat Ness interesting right now is its recent form. Two wins from the last six races — finishing 1-1-4-4-6 in the most recent five before last — is a horse in a rich vein of form. The most recent victory came at Newcastle on 15 February, just seven weeks ago, so the confidence is fresh. With a race just one day ago and that kind of momentum behind it, this is a horse that is clearly in good health and being kept busy for a reason.

Much of that form has been built in partnership with jockey Gina Mangan, and the numbers here are striking. In nine races together, they have won four — that's nearly 1 in every 2, a 44% win rate that speaks to a genuine understanding between horse and rider. For context, anything above 20% in racing is considered strong; 44% together is the kind of stat that makes a trainer keep picking up the phone to the same jockey. John Berry's yard at Newmarket has sent out 13 winners this season, so Tarbat Ness is contributing to a training operation that is clearly in good shape. When the rain comes and Mangan is in the saddle, this is a horse worth paying attention to.